Gem position fixing tool



H. K. BILLER Filed June 10, 1968 FIG.2

ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1970 GEM POSITION FIXING TOOL F I G.

4 mm NL G H K H w 3 x Q a wx/y wfi k WI/1H M 5??? Q v w E a 6 A H 3 EUnited States Patent Oifice 3,548,471 GEM POSITION FIXING TOOL Hans K.Biller, 48 Britten Road, Green Village, NJ. 07935 Filed June 10, 1968,Ser. No. 735,834 Int. Cl. B2311 /00 U.S. CI. 29-10 1 Claim ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE A gem position fixing tool for the setting of gems,adapted to provide hammer-action movement of a cutting edge into thesetting metal to thereby form gem-setting segments.

This invention relates to the position fixing of gems in settings, andmore particularly to a gem position fixing tool adapted to be handpressure operated to provide a hammer action movement of a sharp cuttingsurface into the setting material to thereby enable convenient andaccurate mounting of gems in settings.

Pursuant to the invention the gem position fixing tool can be readilyoperated in a simple fashion by hand movement and pressure on the headportion of the tool to provide a swift sharp striking blow through theinternal mechanism to the sharp cutting tip to thereby displace andpress up against the gem portions of the setting metal thereby fixingthe gem in the setting.

The devices proposed for this purpose heretofore have generally beenobjectionable due to their complexity and high cost of initialmanufacture and difliculty of use, and inaccuracy in operation. Theseobjections in devices heretofore proposed have been eliminated in thegem position fixing tool of this invention which is efficient, accurateand convenient to use.

In the drawings wherein similar reference characters indicate likeparts,

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevational cross-sectional view of a gem positionfixing tool embodying the invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevational vertical view showing the tool inoperation,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of a gem in a setting effected pursuant to theinvention, and

FIG. 4 is a vertical, fragmentary view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

As will be seen from the drawings forming part hereof, this inventionrelates to a gem position fixing tool operated at an incline to the gemsetting material surface as will be described below, such that the toolhead member can be compressed down along the body member, imparting astriking blow through the internal mechanisms therein to the cutting tipwhich digs out a portion of the metal and presses it up against the gemcreating a setting thereby.

The gem position fixing tool 11 (FIG. 1, for example), comprises a headmember 12, a body member 13, a cutting tip 14, and a hammer-actionoperating mechanism 15.

The head member 12 is comprised of a shaped body portion 20, having achannel hollow portion 21 therein, with annular teeth 22 thereon, and abearing surface 23 therein.

The body member 13 consists of a hollow upper member 61, having a neckportion 62 with tooth segments 63 thereon and having lower toothedsegments 64 thereon; and a hollow lower member 65 having tooth portions66 thereon.

The cutting tip 14 (FIG. 1) comprises a cutter head 41, having areceiving surface 47 thereon. As shown, the cutter head portion 41located at the outer end of the cutting tip 14 is of frusto-conicalconfiguration. The outer 3,548,471 Patented Dec. 22, 1970 end of thecutter head 41 terminates in an oblique, continuous planar surface 43 ofgenerally oval configuration disposed at an acute angle to the axis ofthe cutting tip 14 and forms with the outer surface of the conicalcutter head 41 at the extreme outer end or tip thereof, a curved, sharpcutting edge 46.

The hammer-action operating mechanism 15 is comprised of an upper springmember 31, a hammer member 32 having an aperture 33 and a bearingsurface 34 therein, and a pin member 35 having a lower spring member 36thereabout.

The gem setting (shown in FIG. 3) consists of the gem G set in thesetting material S by virtue of the formed position-fixing segments 51which are created from material removed and pressed from areas 52 in thesetting material S.

In operation (FIG. 2) for example, the gem position fixing tool 11 ispositioned so that its tip 46 is at an acute angle 71 to the surface ofthe setting metal S; pressure is applied to the head member 12 as shownin FIG. 2 causing the cutter head 41 to move against the pin member 35.

The pin member 35 is normally canted in a position such that its neckportion 37 is adjacent the mouth of the aperture 33 in the hammermember. As the pin member 35 is moved by pressure from the cutter head41, it pushes the hammer member 32 against the upper spring member 31.Such movement continues (on continued pressure by the operator on thehead member 12) until the pin member edge E has moved against the upperbody member edge U, whereupon the neck portion 32 is directed into theaperture 33; on striking the bearing surface 34, the neck portion 37transmits a sharp striking blow through to the cutter head 14, causing asharp movement of the cutter head 14 into the setting metal S, creatingan aperture therein and thereby pushing the removed material against thegem G to create a formed position-fixing seg ment 51 thereby creating asetting.

As these formed position-fixing segments 51 are created about the outerextremities of the gem G, a setting has been effected by a simpleoperation of hand pressure transmitting a sharp striking blow to themetal surface.

The head member 12 can be rotated on the complementary means consistingof the teeth 22 and the toothed segments 63, thereby increasing ordecreasing the tension on the upper spring member 31 to provide greateror lesser force to the cutting tip as desired for a shallower or deepercut in the setting material. The tool is best operated at an acute angle71 with the surface of the metal setting (FIG. 2) and the planar surface43 is best oriented at an obtuse angle 44 with respect to the plane Pwhich is tangent with the surface 45 of the conical wall of the cutterhead 41 and passes through the tip end 46 of the cutter head portion 41(FIG. 1).

While the foregoing disclosure of exemplary embodiments is made inaccordance with the patent statutes it is to be understood that theinvention is not to be limited thereto or thereby, the inventive scopebeing defined in the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:

1. An automatic gem position fixing tool, for position fixing a gem in asetting material comprising: an elongated hollow body member having arestriction intermediate the opposite ends thereof; a generallyspherical head member adjustably mounted for axial movement on one endof said hollow body member; a cutting tip extending outwardly from theother end of said hollow body member and having a receiving surfacethereon slidably mounted in the hollow body; and hammer action operatingmeans in said hollow body member, said hammer action operating meanscomprising a hammer member having an aperture in the bottom portionthereof with a bearing surface therein slidably mounted in the hollowbody member between the restriction and the head member, a compressionspring positioned between the hammer member and the adjustable headmember resiliently urging the hammer member against said restriction, apin member slidably mounted in the hollow body member and disposedbetween the hammer member and the receiving surface of the cutting tip,and a compression spring positioned between the restriction and the pinresiliently urging one end of the pin into engagement with the saidreceiving surface, the other end of the pin, adapted to be received inthe aperture in the hammer member and to engage the bearing surfacetherein, normally being positioned adjacent to and out of alignment withsaid aperture, a tapered surface on said pin, and a tapered surface onsaid restricted portion of the hollow body member configured tocooperate with the tapered surface on the pin upon actuating the toolfor moving said other end of the pin into alignment with the aperture inthe hammer member, the outer end of said cutting tip comprising a cutterhead portion of frusto-conical configuration terminating in an oblique,continuous, planar surface of generally oval configuration disposed atan acute angle to the axis of the cutting tip and forming with the outerconical surface of the cutter head portion at the tip end thereof, asharp, curved, cutting edge adapted to cut into gem setting material atan acute angle to the surface thereof with the oval planar surfacepressing the cut material against a portion of a gem.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,166,723 1/1916 Stark 30-1681,826,567 10/1931 Payer 2910X 2,140,465 12/1938 Bangs 29-10 2,384,7079/1945 Sweet 30-367 3,106,019 10/1963 Magnussen 30-168 3,172,204 3/1965Frey 30-367 H. A. KILBY, JR., Primary Examiner

